Statewide Disability Resources

Family Connection is a support network for families who have children with special
needs. Founded in 1990, we're here to help thousands of children in South Carolina
reach their potential by providing parent-to-parent connections, linking families
to community resources and sponsoring educational and support programs.

Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. (P&A) protects the rights
of people with disabilities in South Carolina. P&A promotes this mission by enabling
individuals to advocate for themselves and by promoting policies and services which
respect their choices.

The purpose of the South Carolina Department of Social Services is to ensure the safety
and health of children and adults who cannot protect themselves and to assist those
in need of food assistance and temporary financial assistance while transitioning
into employment.

The SCDDC was established in 1971 and is federally funded under the Developmental
Disabilities Act. The DD Council advocates for the independence, promotes the productivity,
and fosters the integration of people who have developmental disabilities.

The purpose is to improve library services throughout the state and to ensure all
citizens access to libraries and information resources adequate to meet their needs.
The State Library supports libraries in meeting the informational, educational, cultural
and recreational needs of the people of South Carolina.

The SC State Library offers free recorded, Braille, large print and other library
materials for South Carolinians with qualifying disabilities. All services are free
to eligible South Carolinians. Materials are delivered by U.S. Postal Service as free-matter
mail for persons with disabilities.

The Arc of South Carolina works to improve the lives of people with special needs.
The Arc advocates for people with disabilities to ensure they have the services and
supports they need to grow, develop and live in the community. The Arc of South Carolina
is affiliated with The Arc of United States, a national organization on mental retardation.

The Columbia Parkinson's Support Group offers the Parkinson's community (Parkinson's
Disease (PD) patients - their care partners and caregivers - family members - and
others who are working in related fields or have an interest in Parkinson's disease)
a safe environment to obtain encouragement and support; news and information about
PD research and clinical trials; special PD events; and educational programs; as well
as other opportunities and information relevant to living with Parkinson's.

The BIA was founded in 1980 by a group of individuals who wanted to improve the quality
of life for their family members who had sustained brain injuries. Their mission is
to create a better future through brain injury prevention, research, education and
advocacy.

This resource guide was compiled to help parents and special educators establish a
comfortable and effective partnership in service of promoting successful outcomes
for children with disabilities. We highlight research reports, journal articles, examples
of best practices and tools that suggest methods for developing productive collaborations
so that educators and families can, together, ensure better services for children
in their care.

Reliable health information from the National Library of Medicine. The website includes
full text medical dictionaries, drug information, directories and over 600 health
topics. There is a low vision version available athttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lowvision.html

The NCIL, as a membership organization, advances independent living and the rights
of people with disabilities through consumer-driven advocacy. They envision a world
in which people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully.

The purpose of the NDSC is to create a national climate in which all people will recognize
and embrace the value and dignity of people with Down syndrome. The mission is to
provide information, advocacy and support concerning all aspects of life for individuals
with Down syndrome.

NDSS is committed to being the national leader in enhancing the quality of life and
realizing the potential of all people with Down syndrome. The purpose is to benefit
people with Down syndrome and their families through national leadership in education,
research and advocacy.

The NARIC website provides access to databases related to disability and rehabilitation
research projects and literature. The REHABDATA database contains over 12,000 citations
and abstracts for research conducted in the U.S.

OSEP is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with
disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to
assist states and local districts.

ZERO TO THREE is a national non-profit organization. ZERO TO THREE's mission is to
promote the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers by supporting
and strengthening families, communities and those who work on their behalf. We are
dedicated to advancing current knowledge; promoting beneficial policies and practices;
communicating research and best practices to a wide variety of audiences; and providing
training, technical assistance and leadership development.